On this episode of Unique Spaces, Architectural Digest brings you inside an unconventionally beautiful home in Phoenix, Arizona built out of a repurposed grain silo. Designer Christoph Kaiser takes us on a tour of the property he called home for 18 months, highlighting the array of bespoke elements that went into making the circular enclave.
From a Wall Street Journal online article (Feb 13, 2020):
To meet the surge in demand projected by 2050, innovative engineers, utility operators and grid architects are planning for a future that blurs the distinctions between energy consumers and producers. Homeowners, businesses and other traditional utility customers are beginning to take on a new role as energy producers, through small-scale solar arrays, wind turbines and other new affordable technologies.
To coordinate so many different power sources and demands, the future power grid will depend on artificial intelligence, automated two-way communications and computer control systems to continuously collect and synthesize data from millions of smart sensors.
The British Museum has been collecting artworks made by Japanese Living National Treasures since 2007, but what is a Living National treasure and why are they so important to Japanese Cultural Heritage? In this film Nicole Rousmaniere, research director of SISJAC and Hayashida Hiyaki of the Japan Kōgei Association talk all about the Living National treasures programme and highlight some of the most beautiful pieces of Japanese craftsmanship collected by the Museum.
Per-Person Health Care Spending Grew 18% from 2014 to 2018, Driven Mostly by Prices
The report examines four groups of health care services and dozens of sub-categories. Of the four major categories, outpatient visits and procedures saw the highest 2018 spending increase (5.5%). Other notable trends include:
Myrtle Beach – This jewel in the string of seaside towns that make up the Grand Strand offers its own spin on South Carolina’s coastal charm. Follow along as we explore the area.
Myrtle Beach has long enticed visitors to laze on its shores, take a swing on its fairways and let loose in its entertainment precincts. Named after the wax myrtle trees along its coastline, Myrtle Beach thrives as a beach vacation destination. Check out the state parks that will showcase the best of Myrtle Beach’s natural beauty. The area is also a dream for golfers and minigolfers, with dozens of courses to choose from. As a family-friendly vacation destination, Myrtle Beach has no shortage of fantastic attractions for the kids to enjoy.
The Buick Skylark is a passenger car produced by Buick. The model was made in six production runs, during 46 years, over which the car’s design varied dramatically due to changing technology, tastes and new standards implemented over the years.
Created to mark Buick’s 50th anniversary, the Roadmaster Skylark joined the Oldsmobile 98 Fiesta and Cadillac Series 62 Eldorado as top-of-the-line, limited-production specialty convertibles introduced in 1953 by General Motors to promote its design leadership. Of the three, the Skylark’s run of 1,690 units proved the most successful, and an amazing sales feat considering the car’s 1953 list price of slightly in excess of US$5,000 was over 50% more than the well-equipped US$3,200 Roadmaster convertible on which it was based. Nevertheless, many languished in dealer showrooms and were eventually sold at discount.
Production ran for two years. Based on the model 76R two-door Roadmaster convertible, the 1953 Skylark (designated model 76X) had identical dimensions (except height), almost identical appearance, shared its drive train, and had all its standard equipment, plus its few remaining options, including power windows, power brakes, full carpeting, and a “Selectronic” AM radio. Only A/C was not offered, unnecessary in either convertible.
From Wikipedia
With all the talk about digital media, it’s easy to forget how powerful traditional media such as radio and television still are. Radio in particular rarely gets credited for what it still is: a true mass medium. According to Nielsen, radio even trumps TV in terms of its weekly reach.
According to Nielsen’s measurements, far more than 200 million Americans aged 18 and older listen to the radio at least once a week, equaling a reach of 92 percent of the adult population. Television came in a close second with a weekly reach of 86 percent, while 80 percent of U.S. adults now use apps or browse the web on a smartphone in any given week.
While radio does win in terms of sheer reach, TV remains unparalleled with respect to average daily usage. According to Nielsen’s measurements, U.S. adults spend an average of 4 hours and 27 minutes a day watching TV (live and time-shifted), which is more than 2.5 times the amount of time they listen to the radio (1h 42m).
In this preview of a conversation with correspondent Lee Cowan to be broadcast on “CBS Sunday Morning” on February 16, Harrison Ford, the actor who has played iconic characters in the “Star Wars” and Indiana Jones franchises, talks about returning to familiar roles.
Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor, aviator, and environmental activist. He gained worldwide fame for his starring role as Han Solo in the original Star Wars Trilogy (1977–1983), eventually reprising the role decades later in the sequel trilogy (2015–2019). Ford is also widely known for his portrayal of Indiana Jones in the Indiana Jones film franchise and as Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan in the spy thrillers Patriot Games (1992) and Clear and Present Danger (1994).
Film critic Roger Ebert described Ford as “the great modern movie everyman”. His career spans six decades and includes roles in many highly successful Hollywood films. Some of his most popular films include Apocalypse Now (1979), Witness (1985), Presumed Innocent (1990), The Fugitive (1993), Air Force One (1997), What Lies Beneath (2000), and (2013). Seven of his films have been inducted into the National Film Registry: American Graffiti (1973), The Conversation (1974), Star Wars (1977), Apocalypse Now (1979), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), and Blade Runner (1982).
As of 2019, the U.S. domestic box-office grosses of Ford’s films total over $5.1 billion, with worldwide grosses surpassing $9.3 billion, making him the fourth highest-grossing domestic box-office star of all time.
From Wikipedia
